Clasp.



No. 889,280. I PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

P. w. HOFFMAN.

CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED 00112, 1907.

' amvemlioz Q oi twaaoeo Paul 71mm,

PAUL W. HOFFMAN, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

CLASP.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

' "Patented J'u'ne 2, 190a.

Application filed October 12,1907. Serial No. 397,137.

To all whom it may concern:

, Beit known that I, PAUL W. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps, of which the followin is a specification.

My invention re ates to clasps, and more particularly to devices of this character especially designed for securing together the ends of necklaces, and the like.

The primary object of m invention is to produce a clasp of the kind described in which the chance of accidental disengagement shall be reduced to a minimum.

A further object of m invention is to provide a device which sha 1 be strong and simple, and at the same time, cheap to produce.

With the above and other ob ects in view, my invention consists in the construction and arrangement hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a central, longitudinal section of my improved clasp. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the barrel. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the spring catch. Fi 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing t e parts in a different position. Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing the parts in still another position.

Referrin to the drawings in detail, my improved 0 asp comprises a body or barrel A, preferably cylindrical in shape. One end of this barrel is closed, and carries an eye I, to which one end of a chain or necklace may be attached. The other end of said barrel is provided with a head having an inverted T- sha ed opening B, therein.

Vgithin the barrel A, a spring catch is adapted to fit, and cooperate therewith. This catch comprised a strip of spring metal bent over on itself, and having its two ends lying adjacent, but sprung apart. This strip is of such width as to nicely slip within the Wider part of the slot B.

The barrel is provided near one end with an opening C, and this opening is adapted to receive and engage a pro ection D, formed on the up erleaf of the spring catch. This uper lea? is also cut away near its end so as to orm a neck, K, of a width that will easily fit within. the narrow portion of the T slot, B. This neck ives rise to notches, or shoulders, L, as clear shown in Fig. 3, and a head E. The lower ieaf of the catch terminates in a ring or eye, F, to which the other end of a chain or necklace maybe secured. To operate the clasp, the parts E and F are gras ed with the fingers, and squeezed together, t us releasing the catch, in the usual manner.

In Fi 1 the parts are shownin their normal loc ing osition. It will be observed that the shou ders, L are, in this first or normal lockinlg position of the clas dis osed slightly be ind the head of the barre. In withdrawing the catch, however, and as soon as the projection D has moved free of the opening C, the shoulders L engage the barrel head on each side of the narrow art of the opening B, as shown in Fig. 4, t us constitutin a second locking position. It is also possi le and preferable to so form the catch that a third locking position, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, occurs after the shoulders L have been reed. This is caused by the projection D engaging the upper inner edge of the barrel head, which pro'ection is, of course, of slightl greater heig t than the narrow portion 0 the inverted-T-opening.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a clasp having a plurality of locking positions, the arts being so arranged that, should any one ocking means slip or become broken by strain, the catch will still hold, due to the engagement of the next locking means, the

parts assuming the next successive locking,

position. In this way-I rovide a clasp in which the chances of accidental disengagement of the two parts is very much reduced.

What I claim,1s: 1. A clasp comprising a hollow, cylindrical barrel having a perforated head, and a spring catch adapted to pass throu h the erfora-- tion in sa1d headand lie wit in sai barrel, said catch being provided with means to engage and lock with the bod of saidbarrel when in one osition, and a so with locking shoulders a apted to abut against the edges of said perforation, when said catch is in another position.

2. A clasp com rising a hollowbarrel having a head rovi ed with an opening, and a sprin catc adapted to cooperate with said barre and having thereon a locking projection, an aperture in the body of said barrel adapted to receive said projection when the parts are in one looking osition, and shoulers on said catch ada te to lock against the edges of the opening in said head, when the parts are in another position.

3. A clas com rising a barrel having a perforation Iormed in the body thereof, and

, havin a head provided with an inverted 1 shaped opening, and a spring catch adapted to cooperate with said barrel, said spring catch earryin a stud adapted to enter said perforation, w an the arts are in one looking position, and having s ioulders to engage the edges of the narrow part of said opening, when the parts are in another locking position, said stud being of less height than the distance from the wide part of said opening to the inner surface of said barrel, whereby,

when said stud is withdrawn from said perforation, it may lie within said barrel and ermit the pro er en a ement of said shouh ers with the er ges Q t 1e narrow part of said opening.

In testirnony whereof I have affixed my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

PAUL W. HOFFMAN. Witnesses: 4

DUDLEY B. WADE, LOTTIE PRIOR. 

